Ynmish Mysticism
Native to the Ynmish Isles, the faith referred to as Ynmish Mysticism is current being pushed out of the region by Solitian missionaries aided by Altish military forces. Because of this, most Ynmish Mystic adherents hold a level of animosity for all Solitians and the Altish. Ynmish native beliefs revolve heavily around the worship of a handful of nature deities and the practice of spellcraft. This has given rise to even more issues between Ynmish mystics and Solitians, due to the fact that Solitians generally disprove of the use of arcane magic. History The Ynmish native faith is the most concentrated and least wide-spread of all faiths in this region. It has remained almost exclusively in the Ynmish Isles, only spreading to the Altish Kingdom within the past thousand years, and quickly fading from Altish lands following the conversion of the kingdom to Aucsolity. The religion rose from a collection of clerics and spellcasters who wrote down various experiences with nature and magic-based deities referred to collectively as the Elders, because all deities of this pantheon are viewed as older, wiser men and women who protect mortals and impart wisdom upon those searching for it. These experiences are all in a set of scrolls collectively referred to as the Scrolls of the Elders, and most followers have one or a few copies of these scrolls with them at all time. These men and women chosen to meet the Elders for the first time quickly began spreading the word and eventually met, and would travel together. Most Ynmish mystics refer to these people as the Teachers. The Teachers travelled for some time, about 50 years, spreading their faith, which was well received, so the legends say, and eventually it blossomed into the religion we see today. Creed & Beliefs Adherents of Ynmish Mysticism has no set tenets. When you require something, you pray and sacrifice to the appropriate deity. If your sacrifice and prayers were genuine and satisfactory to that deity, your wishes will be granted. The only ones who follow any type of strict code of ethics and behavior in this religion are those who chose to become clerics of this faith. All of this faith's adherents generally feel no obligations to any particular god, though several larger cities have a patron deity. This is simply because this city is supposed to be where one of the Teachers was either born or laid to rest, and the deity which spoke to that Teacher is seen as having a special interest in this city. The only thing required by this faith, that all adherents feel compelled by this faith to uphold, and always protect, is family. Anything else is left up to the individual. Your family is first as far as most adherents are concerned, and anything that threatens one's family is viewed as evil. Most paladins, clerics, and anyone of this faith that lives as a traveler usually doesn't have a family. Paladins and clerics view their fellow paladins and clerics as their brothers and sisters, and the leaders of their orders, cults, and guilds as their mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Travelers usually travel to make a living with the hope of eventually finding someone to settle down with and making a family. In the Ymmish pantheon, there are about 25 different deities that all hold power. Ten of these deities were members of the first Elders, mentioned by the Teachers in the original Scrolls. But now, as time has moved on, more deities have been introduced and adapted to the faith via the spread of the religion itself and the birth of new gods to Elders as per the legends. Clergy & Temples Devotees of the Nor-Hurian faith are possibly the most diverse of any devoted members of any other faith. Most people who chose to actually dedicate their life to the faith serve and proclaim allegance to one god in particular, more so than the others. Additionally, paladins are less frequent within this faith, and while clerics are the dominant members of this faith, simple arcane spellcasters make up a sizable portion of its devotees. Of course, while clerics actually derive their power from one of the deities, spellcasters simply worship one of the gods and ask for help and guidance in their magical craft. Within Nor-Hurian mysticism, there are not temples. Devotees make statues of the various gods in select locations they feel with serve the deity the best. The river god statues are built near rivers, streams, and so on, while the mountain gods are built at the base or at the top of mountains.